Dela Rosa: Sta. Isabel’s alibis ‘not believable’
PHILIPPINE National Police (PNP) chief Ronald Dela Rosa said Monday that Senior Police Officer 3 (SPO3) Ricky Sta. Isabel’s alibis are “not believable.”
Sta. Isabel is allegedly the mastermind of kidnapping and killing South Korean businessman Jee Ick-joo last October 18, 2016. According to a witness, Sta. Isabel killed Ick-joo by strangling him inside a vehicle parked in Camp Crame, hours after he and his cohorts abducted him from his Pampanga home.
Dela Rosa said he personally asked Sta. Isabel’s side of the story when he visited him at the PNP custodial center last Sunday.
“Hindi ako nagpakita ng galit sa kanya, sabi ko relax ka lang, magsalita ka, sabihin mo ‘yung gusto mong sabihin sa akin at magkwento ka sa akin. Puro ganun-ganun ang storya. Sabi ko direct to the point. Sabihin mo sa akin ‘yung pangyayari. Eh andami napuntahan ng istorya niya. Sabi ko diretso tayo mag-usap,” he said
“Parang puro self-defense. Puro alibi. ‘Yung taong naiipit na gumagawa ng mga istorya halata mo naman ‘yun eh,” Dela Rosa added.
He said he is not pre-judging Sta. Isabel but maintained that he knows if his men are lying as he had investigated several “sensational cases” before.
The PNP chief said he is no longer angry at Sta. Isabel as the latter is already detained.
“Hindi ako galit sa kanya dahil nakakulong na siya. Galit ako nung hindi pa nakakulong. I want justice to be served. Ngayong nakakulog na OK na ako,” said Dela Rosa.
After his arrest, Sta. Isabel claimed innocence on Ick-joo’s killing, saying that he just followed the instruction of his superior, Superintendent Rafael Dumlao, an Anti-Illegal Drugs Group team leader whom he alleged of planning the crime.
He said he has evidences that will prove Dumlao’s guilt on the crime, which he will reveal in a “proper forum.” (Third Anne Peralta-Malonzo/ SunStar Philippines)